Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
